MISSION VIEJO-The longer two softball pitchers are in control of things the more likely it is that one swing is going to decide the outcome of a game.

As it turned out, it took a couple of swings for host Mission Viejo High to negate a dazzling pitching effort by Brittany Colenzo and edge Downey, 1-0, Tuesday afternoon in a CIFSouthern Section Division III second-round contest.

Colenzo, a senior right hander who limited Oak Park to three singles without a walk in the team’s 1-0 playoff-opening win Thursday, allowed an infield single to Melanie Carlson with two out in the bottom of the first Tuesday afternoon.

She retired the next 16 batters, 10 of those on ground balls.

But her counterpart, Amanda Fernandez, was nearly as effective with the visitors leaving runners at third base in the second and third innings and at second in the fifth and seventh frames.

They were squandered opportunities that were frustrating at the time and devastating after the Diablos had their turn in the seventh.

Sophomore shortstop Janelle Gusiff almost ended things when one swing, launching Colenzo’s second pitch off the top of the right-field fence and speeding into third base.

With the infield and outfield drawn in, junior Bethany Patterson-who had the sole infield single in the first inning-took a strike from Colenzo.

She pulled the next offering to the right of shortstop junior Katie Medina, who is committed to the University of Florida.

Mission Viejo Coach Troy Ybarra-standing in the coaching box just off third-waved Gusiff in as Medina lunged for the ball.

And Medina speared and seemingly pulled the ball out of the glove in the same motion and fired toward catcher Sydney Colenzo.

But the tag was applied on Gusiff’s leg just a blink after her lead foot connected with the plate, sitting off a celebration by the South Coast League champions.